SQF Edition 10: What’s Inside and Why Retailers Should Take Notice

Edition 10 introduces several scoring and methodology changes that make the program more risk-focused and improvement-oriented. Key updates include: 

• Core Clauses: These are specific requirements that are fundamental to preventing food safety failures. Examples include management commitment, allergen management, sanitation and environmental monitoring. Nonconformances in these areas carry more weight in the audit process because they represent the greatest potential risk to product safety and brand trust. 

• Risk-Based Maturity Model: The audit process places greater emphasis on the type and severity of nonconformances rather than solely on a numerical score. This provides a clearer picture of how a site manages risk over time. 

• Improved Consistency: Guidance for auditors and certification bodies has been strengthened to improve reliability, transparency, and comparability of audit results across sites and regions. 

For retailers, these changes provide more actionable insights into supplier performance. By focusing on the most critical risk areas and requiring timely corrective action, Edition 10 helps ensure that certification is a meaningful measure of a site’s food safety culture. 

Retailers can also take advantage of the improved SQF Certified Site Directory to verify certificates, find new suppliers, source ingredients, and track certification statuses in real time. This makes it easier to maintain a trusted supplier base and respond quickly to sourcing needs.